Sen.Orji Uzor Kalu, says President Bola Tinubu will face no serious opposition in the 2027 presidential election, describing the 2027 presidential contest as “Tinubu versus Tinubu”.
Kalu said this at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is firmly rooted across the country and has overwhelming support of Nigerians.
According to him, Tinubu’s policies are gradually reshaping the economy and national security.
“Has he gotten anyone contesting against him? “the election is Tinubu and Tinubu just like Soludo and Soludo in just concluded Anambra election.
” The President has no opposition, our party is fully on ground and filled with the people,nobody can say we don’t have the people on ground.
“We will continue to do what we can to help the Nigerian masses progress.”
Kalu, said that he remained committed to supporting Tinubu’s economic recovery plans through pro-people legislation.
“Whatever is the problem, the Senate is more interested in making laws that will help President Tinubu overcome the economic problems that our people are going through.
“We are focusing on redeeming Nigerian people to see that they eat three times a day,” he said.
Reacting to comments credited to U.S. President Donald Trump on killings in Nigeria and America’s readiness to act, Kalu said Trump said the truth,” stressing that the attacks across the country have claimed both Christians and Muslims lives and should be condemned without bias.
“If it’s a lie, then my answer is that it’s not a lie because he said the truth. Nigerians are being killed whether they are Christians or Muslims.
“There are jihadists who just want to destroy Nigeria. We should blacklist them without pity so that they will be smoked out,” he said.
Kalu said that he had personally discussed Nigeria’s security situation with two former U.S. Presidents one Republican and one Democrat and six sitting U.S. Senators, who, according to him, expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in tackling terrorism.
“Before President Trump says a word, the American intelligence community must have found out where these terrorists are located.
“You can see that the Nigerian Air Force is already acting, possibly using information shared by the U.S. to bomb terrorist hideouts. That’s how it should be.”
Kalu said part of the global instability stemmed from the U.S. invasion and elimination of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, which, he argued, led to the proliferation of arms across Africa.
“When Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein were killed, it became a problem because those people were maintaining their borders.
“After their deaths, light and heavy arms spilled all over the world and we are suffering from it today,” Kalu said.
He said contrary to speculation, the U.S. was not targeting President Tinubu’s administration, but rather the jihadist elements responsible for insecurity in Nigeria.
“Nigerians are clapping hands and political opponents are thinking that the U.S. is after Tinubu’s government no! they are going after the jihadists,” Kalu clarified.
Commenting on speculation that Abia Gov. Alex Otti may defect from the Labour Party to the APC, Kalu said neither President Tinubu nor any APC leader had pressured anyone to join the ruling party.
“Let’s be honest, neither me nor other senators, Senate President or President Tinubu have ever forced anybody to join our party. I have met with my governor, he is my brother and used to be my banker. Whether he joins or not is up to him.”
“But as for me, I will work 100 per cent for the APC, campaign in the state and ensure that we secure victory for President Tinubu and every candidate of the APC.”
On the likelihood of Anambra Gov. Prof. Charles Soludo joining the APC after his re-election, Kalu expressed confidence that the APGA governor would eventually join the party.
“Soludo is a progressive like myself, President Tinubu, Senate President Akpabio and the Governors of Imo, Ebonyi, and Enugu.
“He has no alternative than to come and join us it’s confirmed,” he asserted.
On the economy, Kalu said that the macro economy was doing well, but however, noted that the micro was still struggling.
He acknowledged the hardship many citizens face but maintained that macroeconomic indicators were improving.
“As a businessman, I am feeling the pain too,the macro economy is doing well, but the micro economy is not.
“Foreign investors are coming in and what is left is for this progress to trickle down to the masses so that people can eat daily and return to farming,” he said.
Kalu said both the President and the Senate were working relentlessly to revive the economy and restore food security.
“President Tinubu has put his life into revamping the economy and the Senate is also doing its best to ensure that Nigerians feel the progress.”
Addressing reports of initial moves to impeach President of Senate, Kalu dismissed the tension as a “family misunderstanding,” insisting that lawmakers remained united in supporting the leadership and the national agenda.
“There were attempts, but we didn’t allow that to happen,we are one big family and it’s not going to happen,” he said.
